Three Steps for 21st Century Learning

Technology & Culture

Below are some interesting articles and reports that discuss the impact of technology on culture and vice versa.

Does technology change culture or culture change technology?

http://ebiquity.umbc.edu/blogger/2006/07/10/does-technology-change-culture-or-culture-change-technology/

Cultures are very robust and change slowly. It’s typical for a new technology to be adapted within a culture and used to support existing patterns of behavior.

For example, she said that mobile phone manufacturers have developed popular phones for Muslim users that support their religious practices by (1) reminding them when it is time to pray, (2) orienting them towards Mecca and (3) disabling incoming calls for 20 minutes.

Culture, Society and Advanced Information Technology

http://www.cra.org/reports/aspects/aspects.pdf

Summary: The workshop found that recent breakthroughs in the speed, communications capability and storage capacity of digital information devices would have far-reaching and unforeseen effects on families, communities, institutions and democratic processes. To understand the social consequences of these breakthrough technologies, government, academic and corporate researchers need to build on the solid foundation that exists in studies of sociotechnical systems, media studies and online communication; in the social science study of computing; and in the social sciences generally.

To further this understanding, the workshop explored the implications of these new technologies for the education and careers of social scientists as well as for social science methods, funding, ethics and theory.

Technology and Culture

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1902836,00.html

Some argue that Twitter is a form of digital narcissism, the toy of the moment for an attention-deficit-disordered culture. But as Johnson notes, the Twitter platform is ultimately about an accretion of tweets, the way hundreds of thousands of pixels form a detailed and complex digital image. Twitter underscores Marshall McLuhan’s famous aphorism that the medium is the message–the idea that technological form shapes and determines the culture. McLuhan challenged the traditional notion that content–whether in print, in film or on television–is automatically more significant than the medium through which it is delivered. What we now accept is that the medium changes the nature of what, and how, we communicate. Twitter does that too.

Grantwriting & Me

During my undergraduate studies at UWT I was part of a group called “Community Builders” which focused on philanthropy, community involvement and volunteerism. My community work and desire to continue to serve my community after graduation led me to complete a minor in Non-Profit Management in addition to my major in Business Administration. I felt compelled to learn all I could about non-profit work and even thought at one time that I would establish a non-profit myself.

My coursework in non-profit studies included grantwriting which I applied to the work I was doing for an area non-profit organization. I submitted five grant proposals/applications on their behalf and two were successful. They weren’t for “big bucks,” but the funding enabled the organization to further its goals.

Below are links to web sites that I feel are valuable resources for anyone interested in grantwriting. It is a sometimes arduous process that can be confounding without proper guidance or tools to make it as pain-free as possible, but can also be rewarding when your hard work pays off.

GrantProposals.com
This site is a wonderful resource for the beginner grantwriter as well as the experienced grantseeker. The site provides tutorials, a sample inquiry letter and proposal, as well as advice from funders on preparing a successful grant proposal.

Technology Funding Sources and Grant Writing
Texas Instruments provides a valuable resource for those seeking grants for technology. The site offers grant writing tips and resources, a guide to federal and private funders, as well as advice from successful grant seekers.

Northwest Educational Technology Consortium
This site provides resources to individuals or organizations seeking federal funding through the U.S. Department of Education for educational technology grants.

HTML, Web Page Design & Me

There are many software applications that assist you in creating crazy, sexy, cool web pages with just a “point and click,” but HTML (hypertext markup language) is at the heart of it all. HTML is a set of tags and rules that allow web browsers to display content as you wish it to be seen. Below is content presented in HTML:

<html>
<head>
<style><h2 {color:purple}></style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>HTML Basics</h1>
<h2>What’s it look like?</h2>
<p>You can present context in paragraphs or as a list.</p>
<ul>
<li>item 1</li>
<li>item 2</li>
<li>item 3</li>
</ul>
</body>
</html>

And this is what is looks like published to the web:

HTML Basics

What’s it look like?

You can present content in paragraphs or as a list.

• item 1
• item 2
• item 3

There are many resources online for more information on HTML, but check out W3Schools site.

Did You Know?

This is such a powerful video that provokes discussion and reflection on the exponential growth of technology in our world. Although America is a leader in technological innovation, are we using our full potential to benefit the future of education? The environment? The economy? Our world? If not, why and what can we do as educators, business leaders, legislators to be the change we want to see?

Technology & Me

Before last weekend, if you had asked me if I was technology savvy, I would have answered “yes.” I’ve taught computer applications to adults. A co-worker once “forced” me to repair my own CPU so that I wouldn’t be “afraid of the inside of my computer” and I’m not. I am not a hardware expert, but I’ve installed DVD/CD drives and replaced a hard drive or two because I crashed them (oh yeah, that’s another blog).

I’ve resumed my studies toward completing my Master’s in Education and after my first class in my emphasis – Technolgy, Curriculum and Instruction – I’ve realized that, yes, I can hold my own when it comes to software applications but I am not technology savvy. Now I know that being technology savvy means knowing how to use the computer and Internet to serve you and not become a servant to it. I’ve been introduced to wonderful concepts such as web 2.0 and social bookmarks as well as different online tools available to enhance instruction and collaboration like Skype and iChat. The fact that you are reading this blog is a testament to my excitement about the various technology I’ve been introduced to in class. I have never written a blog before! I knew what blogs were, but thought of them as a digital diary – people sharing their thoughts or family happenings. I’ve never been the type to keep a journal – never – and here I am sharing “me” with the world.

I am excited about my anticipated growth – intellectually and personally – from my studies and the dynamic implications that the use of technology has on the classroom experience and education. I look forward to learning and doing more with technology in developing curriculum, creating lesson plans and providing instruction that fosters an exciting and effective learning environment. I’ve only been introduced to the “tip of the iceberg” and I am eagerly looking forward to discovering the many layers beneath the surface.